


Dressed in Black

by Alexandria (heartfullofelves)



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Burglary, F/F, Humor, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-13
Updated: 2016-05-13
Packaged: 2018-06-08 04:35:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6839266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartfullofelves/pseuds/Alexandria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Morgana’s burglary doesn’t quite go according to plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dressed in Black

Her footsteps were silent as she made her way up the garden path to the back of the house, her shadow diminished by the night. She spied the open window and grinned - they’d made it too easy for her; they were asking for it. She pulled on her gloves and balaclava, pulled the window further open, and hoisted herself up and in. Her feet hit the wooden floor with a satisfying clunk.

Morgana turned on her headlamp and began searching. The master bedroom looked like a good place to start, so she made her way inside the room and found the dresser, on top of which sat not one but three jewellery boxes. “Fuck me,” she whispered under her breath as she opened the first and stuffed its contents into her bag.

She was halfway through emptying the last box when she heard first a clunk from the first room she’d entered, then footsteps moving down the hallway. She froze. The footsteps kept coming closer and closer. She held her breath. The light in the bedroom flicked on and -

“Oh, crap. I didn’t think I’d have company.” This came from a girl a few years older than her who had brown hair and skin and who was dressed all in black. She had cute freckles.

Morgana could breathe again; this fellow thief of hers didn’t look like she could kill a horrible spider in a bathtub. She dumped the jewellery she was holding into her bag to free her hand, using it to remove her balaclava. “Well, if I’d known you’d be joining me, I would have left the door open for you,” she joked.

“Door, window, is there a difference?” The other girl smiled.

“Damn, I made it too easy for you,” Morgana scowled.

This was met with a giggle. “Is this your first time too?”

Morgana sighed. “Yes. That obvious, huh?”

“Well, you did leave the window open, and you did let me catch you red-handed…”

“Yeah, but at least I had the decency to wear gloves and a balaclava so my identity couldn’t be proven.”

Now it was the other girl’s turn to say “Damn.”

_Score: one-all_ , thought Morgana. “So, um, what’s your name?” she asked.

“I’m Gwen - no, damn, I shouldn’t have said that, should I?”

Morgana smirked. “Why, that wasn’t a codename?” She winked.

Gwen laughed. “What’s yours?” she returned the question.

“You may call me Morgana,” replied the woman in question, zipping up her backpack and sticking out a gloved hand for a shake.

“Is that a codename?” Gwen grinned as she took her hand and shook it.

Morgana smiled back. “What are you here for, Gwen? I’m after the shiny stuff.” She gestured towards the jewellery boxes.

“The electronics.”

“Ah, good,” replied Morgana. “Not in each other’s way, then. I won’t have to get out my gun.” When Gwen paled and took a step backwards, she burst out laughing. “That was a joke.”

“Oh.”

“You’re allowed to laugh.”

“Right.”

“So.”

“So.”

Morgana cleared her throat. “Have you found the TV yet? I think it’s that way. I’d say there’s probably at least one device in this room, too.”

Gwen stared at her for a while before blinking. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

When Gwen still made no attempt to move, Morgana tilted her head and asked, “Are you okay? Why are you here, anyway?”

Gwen’s gaze slid to the floor. “My dad is sick, but we don’t have enough money for the treatment he needs. I know a place I can get a good price for things like TVs and computers. It will cover what my dad needs.”

Morgana turned and began scavenging in the wardrobe. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t know him. You don’t even know me.”

She paused. “Sorry, you’re right.” She unzipped her bag to throw in a real leather jacket and a pair of Louboutin’s.

“Why are _you_ here?” asked Gwen. Morgana felt her eyes on her.

“Adrenalin, mostly,” admitted Morgana. She zipped up the backpack again and put it on her shoulders. “So, I think I’m done here. Can I get you anything before I go? A new television? A cup of tea?”

“A cup of tea would be lovely, thank you,” Gwen replied, not catching the sarcasm.

Morgana blinked. “Alright, one cup of tea coming up. I’ll try and find the nice china, just to piss off the owners.”

“I think they’ll be a bit pissed off already,” Gwen pointed out.

“Hush, you.”

Morgana showed Gwen to the kitchen. When she put two cups down on the bench instead of one, she explained that she’d decided to stay a little longer. “After all,” she reasoned, “circumstances like these don’t happen every day.”

“That’s true,” Gwen conceded, sourcing the teabags. “I wonder what the statistical probability is of two thieves breaking into the same house at the same time.”

Morgana turned on the kettle. “Hey, I was the original! I even helped you get in!” It was beside the point that Gwen could have opened the window without any assistance; Morgana was _first_.

Twenty minutes later, they were just finishing their teas when they heard a car engine approaching. They glanced at each other and yelled, “Shit!”

Morgana switched off all the lights while Gwen gathered their things, then the two of them rushed out the back of the house, Morgana whispering, “Go go go!” She half pushed Gwen out the window, then threw herself out too. Gwen grabbed her hand and dragged her behind some bushes, where they waited with fast-beating hearts for the owners to come in the front door.

“Now?” Gwen checked when it seemed clear.

“Now,” Morgana confirmed.

Hunched over, they moved as fast as they could along the side of the house and to the front. They then tiptoed down the driveway and into the street, where they began to run. They didn’t stop until they were a whole block away.

“We made it,” Gwen puffed, leaning against a tree.

“So we did. Did you even take anything, after all that?” asked Morgana.

“Not a thing.”

Morgana shook her head, laughing. “Don’t worry. I’ll let you have the money from the jewellery. There’s a lot of gold and diamonds in there, they’ll fetch a pretty price.”

Gwen gazed at her, eyes shimmering in the near dark. “I can’t let you do that.”

“I insist. I don’t need the money; I just did it for the rush.” When Gwen looked like she was about to refuse, Morgana added, “Even if you don’t take all of the money, at least have some. It’s my fault you were distracted and didn’t get what you came for.”

Gwen didn’t protest. “Thank you,” she whispered, eyes wet. “Thank you.”

Morgana smiled. “You’re welcome, Gwen.”

There was a pause while they looked at each other, then Gwen’s face lit up with amusement. “Hey, you know something?”

“What?” Morgana frowned.

“You’re never going to guess.”

“Oh yeah? Try me,” challenged Morgana.

Gwen grinned with triumph and sang, “You’re still holding onto my hand.”

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt from dailyau: “We’re both amateur burglars who’ve never met before but we accidentally broke into the same house and now we’re not really sure where to go from here” AU


End file.
